The path of the Akali is not one all are destined to walk. For some, the rigorous oaths of piety and the unyielding martial discipline of the Warrior Orders prove too great a burden. Those who falter in their studies or break their ascetic vows may still find purpose within the Spiral Dharam, becoming Sevadar, hosts for the offspring of the Great Worm.
The lifecycle of the Great Worm is a peculiar and sacred phenomenon. As it tunnels through the earth, it leaves behind thousands of eggs, each containing a tiny potential godling. These eggs gestate over long years, hatching into finger-length replicas of their divine sire. Newly hatched spawn burrow into the earth, vanishing from sight as they embark on their slow growth, taking centuries to reach even a fraction of their progenitor's immense size.
To the followers of the Spiral Dharam, these eggs are sacred treasures, cared for with obsessive devotion. Over centuries, they have discovered that the growth of the worm spawn can be accelerated through a grisly practice: implantation. The Sevadar Hosts offer their bodies as vessels for this process. Worm eggs are embedded beneath their skin, nestled among muscle and sinew. There, nourished by the host’s warmth and vitality, the godlings grow with unsettling speed, their wriggling forms a constant, grotesque reminder of their divine nature.
Though revered for their sacrifice, the Sevadar endure unimaginable pain and a shortened life span. As the godlings mature, their writhing forms consume their hosts from within, leaving behind only husks, and yet, to the Sevadar, this is a worthy price to pay for serving the Great Worm’s sacred purpose.
